A Moment in Time
by Akiko Natsuko
Summary: Part of the Dragon Season storyline: 'Dragons and their children only have one mate in their life, and if the chosen mate rejects them then they will spend their entire life alone.' That one moment in the battle with the Dragons has a deeper effect on Natsu than anyone expected. (Non-explicit boy/boy, don't like then don't read). Disclaimer inside.
1. Chapter 1

Set in the same storyline as Dragon Season. This may later be inserted into the main story but as I have yet to decide how far I am going to go in the timeline with that one I am posting it here, it will be about 4 chapters long (I think but my mind get away from me)

Disclaimer: As always Fairy Tail and its amazing characters don't belong to me, I'm just borrowing them.

FTFT

"JUVIA!"

Gray heard Lyon's panicked shout and swung around at once, his eyes widening as he spotted the creature firing a laser directly at Juvia who had frozen, her face a mask of terror as she stared at the rapidly approaching blast. He didn't stop to think what he was doing, his body moving before he even realised what was happening and it was only when his hand connected with her and he shoved her to safety that what he had done registered only to be wiped away by the all-encompassing pain that filled him as the blast struck him directly in the chest.

As he began to fall backwards the world around him began to darken, and seconds later the breath was forced from his lungs as multiple blasts collided with him forcing a cry of pain from suddenly numb lips. In the midst of the pain and growing darkness he felt a warm presence in the back of his mind and tears prickled at the corners of his eyes as he felt Natsu frantically reaching out to him and trying to share his strength. With the last dredges of consciousness he possessed he reached out trying to let the Dragon-slayer know how much he loved him, only to be consumed by the wave of grief and fury that poured through the bond from the other end.

"Natsu," he breathed weakly as the mental scream washed over him and he was vaguely aware that Natsu's cry had broken through into the physical world before he was swept away completely as a final blast collided with his head. In an instance he was gone, unaware of how his body struck the ground with a dull thud and unable to hear the agonised scream that tore itself free from Juvia's throat as she realised what had happened, whilst Lyon dopped heavily to his knees with an anguished cry with Meredy stood weeping softly behind him.

FTFT

Natsu had been firmly focused on the battle raging between himself and Future-Rogue, resolutely trying to ignore the fear that had been plaguing him since the Dragons had first appeared over Crocus. His inner dragon was nervous knowing that Gray was out in the city somewhere fighting, especially as they had no idea who he was with or how bad the situation on the ground was; only the fact that he could feel the distant hum of the Ice Mage's presence in the back of the mind stopped him from giving into the urge to abandon the current battle and seek him out.

Growling he dodged out of the way of an attack before retaliating with a fierce hit that forced the other Dragon-slayer to stagger back, only for both of them to stagger slightly as Atlas Flame took the opportunity to slam himself against Motherglare once more, both dragons snarling furiously at each other as they fought for the upper hand. Part of Natsu was fascinated by the sight – in all the time he had spent with Igneel he had never had the opportunity to witness a dragon going all out in a battle as his adoptive father hadn't been willing to use such force against a human child.

As Future-Rogue's fist flashed by his cheek only missing due to the unpredictable movement of the Dragons beneath them, Natsu forced himself to focus on the battle at hand, knowing that he couldn't afford to be distracted now. Gray needed to be protected, and his promise to Lucy was a constant echo in the back of his mind and both thoughts brought a growl to his lips as he lashed out and sent the other Dragon-slayer skidding backwards across rough scales and he allowed a brief glint of triumph to appear in his eyes as he took in the other mage's startled expression…he would teach the other man not to underestimate him even if Rogue had nearly managed to wipe him out earlier.

FT

However, all thoughts of the battle and his promise to Lucy vanished abruptly a second later when the bond between himself and Gray was filled with a terrifying sense of wrongness and his eyes narrowed as he caught the fear and horror that was coming off his Mate in waves. Before he could even try and determine what was wrong he was struck by a wave of pain that was so intense it sent him crashing to his knees, his eyes watering as he frantically reached out trying to lend Gray his strength as the Ice mage cried out in pain. Seconds later the original wave of pain was followed by another surge of overwhelming agony and he was unable to stifle the cry that forced its way free, and something in him shattered as he realised that the bond was slowly disappearing into a cloud of shadow.

"Gray….no…" He mumbled desperately as he felt the Ice Mage slipping away from him, barely aware of the weak touch that Gray was sending him, flinching away from the desperate message of love as he tried to deny what was happening. Seconds later another surge of pain went through them and he bit his lip hard to hold back the pained cry that wanted to break lose, completely unaware of the coppery taste filling his mouth as he realised that the link between him and Gray had vanished completely.

For a moment he was frozen, unable to think let alone attempt to comprehend what the sudden emptiness in the back of his mind meant and helpless to fight against the dark void that was threatening to swallow him. Slowly from admist the growing darkness a single thought began to take shape, despite his frantic attempts to stop it from taking hold and a solitary tear escaped marking the start of the coming flood.

_Gray is gone._

The second that realisation sank into his shocked mind something welled up from deep inside him, and an anguished cry spilled forth from his lips as he fell forward, barely catching himself with clenched fists as tears streaked down his cheeks. He was so lost in his grief and rising fury that he didn't realise that his dragon was amplifying the cry, until it filled the air over the city, stopping everyone and everything in their tracks as it rocked them to their core.

FTFT

For the normal mages the sound was unnerving and they found themselves looking skywards despite the numerous battles raging around them, only those in Fairy Tail realising that it was their Salamander that was crying out even though they didn't understand why. On the far-side of the city Lucy looked up from her perusal of the diary left by her future-self, tears springing unbidden to her eyes as his voice washed over her and she stumbled for a moment as she realised that something terrible must have happened…even when her future-self had died he hadn't sounded so wounded…her eyes widened as a cold feeling washed through her as she realised there was only one thing that could make him sound like that, and a choked sob escaped as she began to move back towards where the main fighting was happening, the diary clasped against her chest but temporarily forgotten.

Elsewhere both Erza and Jellal had frozen mid-fight as Natsu's cry reached them, their eyes meeting for as fraction of a second as they registered the sheer sorrow that it was conveying. Without a word they resumed their attack a moment later, instinctively sliding around one another as though they had fought together hundreds of times before and this time there was an increased level of ferocity in their attacks. They knew that whatever had happened was bad, and even without words Jellal could see the desperate need burning in Erza to re-join her nakama and find out was happening and he was determined to make sure she got there.

Makarov frowned as the cry reached him, immediately recognizing Natsu's voice and his expression darkened as he realised what such a cry indicated. His heart seemed to skip a beat for a moment as the world darkened around him, it had always been a distinct possibility that they would lose someone in this battle…but now to be faced with the loss of one of his brats he found himself fighting to keep his feet, and his heart went out to the Dragon-slayer as the anguished cry dragged on and on.

FT

For the Dragon-slayers scattered around the city thought the cry had a deeper and more personal meaning, and it awoke instincts that most of them were unaware that they possessed and their own draconic sides rose in response to the grieving cry.

"What is that?" Brickslow demanded as he sprang away from their opponent who had frozen at the horrendous cry that was echoing through the air, fighting the urge to clasp his hands over his ears as he dropped back beside his teammates who were watching Laxus with concern. The Dragon-Slayer had gone completely still, his eyes wide and wild as he stared up at the sky and they jumped a moment later when a low, ferocious growl rumbled through him.

"Laxus?" Fried asked cautiously as he moved towards the other mage, only to flinch back as electricity crackled in the air around Laxus and they all tensed as they felt his magic saturating the area around them.

"Natsu-san…." Wendy whimpered as tears began to leak down suddenly colourless cheeks, her eyes going wide as her draconic side began to stir in reaction to Natsu's grief. She staggered slightly as fury and a thirst for retribution that was entirely separate from her own feelings rose in her chest, and she was relieved when Mira rapidly wrapped an arm around her.

"Wendy what's going on? Is that…Natsu?" Mira asked anxiously, feeling the younger girl shaking violently in her arms and when Wendy glanced up she had to fight the urge to flinch back, there was a feral glint in the watery brown orbs that met her gaze that was completely at odds with her normal expression. "Wendy?" She asked in alarm, fighting the urge to back away especially when a low growl escaped the younger girl.

"Gray," Wendy whispered as she clung desperately to her self-control, feeling her draconic side fighting against her and knowing that she wouldn't be able to hold it back for long. "Gray's gone." Mira stiffened as she realised what Wendy was trying to say, tears springing to her eyes as the realisation that they had lost a nakama began to settle in before her eyes widened as she realised what the deafening cry signified.

"Wendy we're going to end this," Laxus ground out harshly, his voice barely human as it cut across Natsu's cry and the sound of the battle as his gaze returned to the Dragon watching them with a mocking expression. Instinctively he realised that the creature should have reacted to the cry as well, and the fact that he hadn't indicated that whatever was controlling it was too strong and that knowledge only fuelled his temper.

"Yes," Wendy agreed simply as she silently shrugged Mira's supporting arm off and stepped forward to join the other Dragon-slayer, her eyes glinting with amber fire as her power welled up around her until a wild wind whipped through the air to join the uncomfortable pressure that Laxus was letting off and the others hastily backed away realising that in this state neither of the Dragon-slayers were going to heed their presence.

FT

Gajeel froze mid-attack as Natsu's cry rang through the air, dropping heavily to the ground as his inner dragon surged to the forefront of his mind responding to the other's loss and he let out a snarl that stopped his opponent in its tracks. The Dragon-slayer was barely aware of this fact though as his head had turned automatically in the direction that Natsu's cry was coming from. Frantically he reached out to check that Levy was still relatively safe and despite the fear that he could feel coming off her, he was relieved when their minds brushed although he forced himself to pull away before he became lost in the sensation.

"Salamander," he breathed turning his attention back to his opponent with narrowed eyes, every instinct within him was screaming at him to take down the dragon in front of him...to take down everyone that Natsu perceived as playing a role in Gray's death, and yet his human side was hesitating, reluctant to accept the death of a comrade without going to see with his own eyes that Gray had fallen.

However, his human rationality was swept aside only seconds later as his dragon forced itself to the surface. It needed no further confirmation…Natsu's mourning cry told it everything, and with a howl he attacked once more and as skin gave way to metal, Gajeel willingly focused his entire being on the battle.

FT

Sting and Rogue both froze as the heart-wrenching cry reached them, neither of them understanding the reason behind it but feeling their own inner dragon's reacting to it instinctively. For a brief second their eyes met and both could see the flicker of amber that appeared in the other's eyes, before they whirled around, their power lashing wildly around them with renewed vigour as their previous weariness and doubt faded in the face of their rising draconic instincts.

"Natsu-san," Sting growled as he shifted back into Dragon-force mode with a snarl, his heart aching in response to the sorrow that the echoing cry was conveying and he was consumed by a need to do something…anything that could help relieve that sorrow, even though some part of him realised that nothing he did would ease this pain. Beside him Rogue imitated him, all signs of hesitation gone from his posture as he allowed himself to listen entirely to his dragon and friend and side by side they attacked and their opponents fell back briefly in the face of the unexpected ferocity they were suddenly facing.

FT

Cobra hissed in pain as the cry struck his overly sensitive ears and he was unable to prevent himself from reaching up to grab at them in an attempt to ride out the pain, his eyes watering as he tried to keep at least one eye on his opponent. For several long seconds his attention was consumed by the pain, and it took him a while to realise that something knew was rising in his chest, overthrowing the determination that had filled him earlier when he realised that the Salamander trusted him enough to let him join in with the battle.

He knew that the sorrow and the sudden fury flooding him was coming from something beyond himself, he could feel the draconic magic in his body rising but he made no move to try and fight it. Instead he forced himself to brush the pain aside although he couldn't prevent the soft moan that escaped as he straightened, turning his attention back to his opponent who was watching his reactions with aloof curiosity.

"I will win," he growled out, not with the bravado he had felt at the start of the battle but with quiet determination as his magic saturated the air around him, ignoring the alarmed cries of the mages fighting nearby and their frantic scramble to back away.

FTFT

Atlas Flame had paused in his attacks when the cry had broken free from Igneel's child, his eyes going wide as he realised that not only had the Dragon-slayer mated but that, that Mate had met his end somewhere within this battle. At once guilt rose in him as he realised that he had played an unforgivable role in the battle before Natsu had broken through the control that Motherglare's rider had over him, only to be drowned by the fury that the cry triggered as every instinct he possessed screamed at him to help the child avenge his mate.

His eyes narrowed as he saw the faint tremor that went through Motherglare, but as their gazes met he was stunned to see that there was no hint of the same instincts currently flooding through him. Was the other Dragon-slayer's controlling magic so powerful that it could even override their most basic instincts? Their entire species shared the burden of protecting the bond between mates – it was why any Dragon that endangered or took the life of another's mate was subject to Dragon Law*; and why his instincts were currently howling for him to assist in avenging the loss of Natsu's mate…and yet it was clear that Motherglare shared none of this and that realisation only added to his fury.

FTFT

Natsu was completely unaware of the reactions he had triggered throughout the city, and even if he had been aware he wouldn't have cared. His entire being was consumed by the knowledge that he had failed to protect Gray and that he was now alone, the dark void that had opened up in the back of his mind and within his chest driving home his loss; and he could feel it calling to him, offering him a way out a world without his Mate. Desperately he clutched at his chest wishing that he could rip out his heart to remove the pain that was ripping through him, unaware of the fact that he was actually digging bloody furrows into his skin through his efforts to escape the pain.

_Gone! Our mate is gone! Kill them…kill….kill…._ His inner dragon was shrieking and writhing, and as he felt the tenuous barrier between them beginning to fail he willingly surrendered to his wilder side. As the barrier vanished completely his anguished cry broke off, and Natsu retreated into a corner of his mind as his dragon consumed him completely, the release of his draconic side sending fresh power flooding through him, changing his body as it went. Skin gave way to crimson as it hardened into scales, this time covering most of his body. Whilst warm olive eyes darkened into molten amber which blazed with pain and fury as flames exploded out of him with no semblance of his normal control.

FT

"What trick is this Natsu Dragneel?" Future-Rogue demanded as he slowly recovered from the combined effects of the deafening cry and the subsequent explosion of flames that had forced him backwards. He could feel his control of the remaining six dragons wavering slightly as some previously unrealised instinct was howling at him, and he realised with a start that it was torn between trying to avenge the sorrow that had been inflicted on Natsu and fear that the enraged mage would be taking retribution against them.

Snarling he carelessly shoved the feelings aside and refocused his hold on the other Dragons, noting with a scowl that they were fighting him now and it took more effort than he was willing to admit for them to submit to his will once more. Satisfied that he had them once more he let his gaze shift back to Natsu, wondering just what the other mage had done to unsettle the Dragons as he realised that the other Dragon-Slayer hadn't answered his earlier question. As soon as his eyes settled on Natsu he found his throat closing up as a sudden jolt of fear went through him as he found himself staring into feral amber eyes.

Unable to stop himself he took a nervous step back at the sheer fury and hatred he could see churning in that wild gaze, and his movement drew forth a rumbling growl as Natsu slowly got to his feet as flames danced around him. Rogue narrowed his eyes in suspicion when Natsu made no attempt to make his usual loud boasts and challenges, letting out a mocking chuckle as he realised that there were tears leaking unchecked down his opponents cheeks but it quickly trailed off when Natsu's only response to the mocking was a low snarl…what was going on? There was no way the other Dragon-slayer could have changed so much in the space of a minute…and this power…

"Is this…Dragon-force?" He muttered as he studied the other mage, noting with interest the deep crimson scales that now covered most of his opponent. Even years after the original Grand Magic Games his use of Dragon-force hadn't developed to this extent, with scales only covering parts of his face and upper arms when he was at full strength and the vast difference that had suddenly appeared between them unnerved him more than the unexplainable emotions that Natsu's cry had triggered…For the first time he found himself entertaining the possibility that his plan might fail.

"Because of you…" Natsu finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper but to Future-Rogue it sounded deafening as he found himself unable to look away from the amber gaze studying his every move and he shivered at the echo he could hear in the other's voice. "Because of you," the Fire mage repeated as the wild flames surrounding him began to shift and slowly gathered around his fists as he slipped into a low crouch, his teeth bared in a grim snarl and Rogue instinctively gathered his own magic in preparation. "My mate is dead because of you!" Grief and guilt outweighed the anger in the final shout, but Rogue had no time to consider what that meant as suddenly there was a flaming fist shooting towards his face.

There was nothing controlled or predictable about the attacks he was facing, and Rogue found himself retreating under the onslaught as he tried to comprehend what had brought about this change, not understanding Natsu's final words. However, he found himself with no time to think as Natsu attacked him relentlessly and moments later he was nearly flung from Motherglare's back as Atlas Flame re-joined the battle with a thunderous expression; and his earlier doubts and fears flared once more…could he really win this battle?

FT


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for the reviews, follows and favourites.

Disclaimer: As always Fairy Tail and its awesome characters don't belong to me, I'm just borrowing them.

FTFT

Previously:

"_Because of you…" Natsu finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper but to Future-Rogue it sounded deafening as he found himself unable to look away from the amber gaze studying his every move and he shivered at the echo he could hear in the other's voice. "Because of you," the Fire mage repeated as the wild flames surrounding him began to shift and slowly gathered around his fists as he slipped into a low crouch, his teeth bared in a grim snarl and Rogue instinctively gathered his own magic in preparation. "My mate is dead because of you!" Grief and guilt outweighed the anger in the final shout, but Rogue had no time to consider what that meant as suddenly there was a flaming fist shooting towards his face._

_There was nothing controlled or predictable about the attacks he was facing, and Rogue found himself retreating under the onslaught as he tried to comprehend what had brought about this change, not understanding Natsu's final words. However, he found himself with no time to think as Natsu attacked him relentlessly and moments later he was nearly flung from Motherglare's back as Atlas Flame re-joined the battle with a thunderous expression; and his earlier doubts and fears flared once more…could he really win this battle?_

FTFT

Now:

Natsu snarled viciously as he was forced backwards one, uncaring of the fresh pain blooming along his side where the other mage's magic had torn through flesh as he struggled to keep his feet. Every part of him was screaming at him to take out the man in front of him, and yet it seemed as though no matter what he tried he was unable to grab the upper hand for more than a few seconds at a time and it was infuriating him.

"What is giving you this strength?" Future-Rogue demanded as he seized the opportunity to catch his breath although he never let his gaze waver from Natsu. This was a side of the Fire mage that he had never seen before, and he couldn't understand where it had come from…he had been so certain when Natsu had used his lightning attack against him back in the Palace that he had seen everything the other Dragon-Slayer had to offer…and yet now he seemed stronger than ever.

"I told you," Natsu growled as he sprang forward with a burst of flames, lashing out violently and forcing the Dragon-Slayer to dance out of reach with a pain expression as he felt his skin beginning to blister as the flames brushed to close for comfort. "My mate is dead because of you," his voice had lost none of its viciousness, but he was unable to keep the agony off his face and his flames faltered giving the other Dragon-slayer the opportunity to retaliate.

"Mate?" He questioned as he forced Natsu to retreat slightly, noting with satisfaction the pained hiss that escaped as the Fire mage grasped the fresh gash that he had just opened on his arm.

"Gray…" Natsu replied and there was a world of pain in that word and he faltered as the devastation of his loss washed over him once more, and he let out a noise that was a mixed whimper and sob as he tried desperately to grab hold of his anger once more. He couldn't falter now…not now…

"The Ice-mage?" Future-Rogue asked with a confused expression as he cast his mind back to his knowledge of the Fairy tail wizards, but he had never had a close interaction with Gray Fullbuster so all he knew about him had been gleaned from watching him fight Rufus in the magic games…still he couldn't see what that had to do with this battle. "What does Gray Fullbuster have to do with anything?"

"DON'T SAY HIS NAME!" Natsu roared, the sound of his mate's name coming from this man's lips effectively reigniting his fury and he charged furiously once more. The other Dragon-slayer found himself having to desperately give ground as flames threatened to engulf him, the heat coming off them hotter than they ever had been before and yet he still didn't understand why.

FTFT

On the far side of the city, and completely unaware of the drama that was unfolding all over the city, with not even Natsu's mournful cries registering, Ultear initiated the one spell she had never had the strength to use for…driven forward by her own pain and regrets.

"_Arc of Time…Last Ages!"_ Ultear cried her magic spreading around her in a flare of brilliant blue light, only to shriek in agony as the spell tore through her body and she had to grit her teeth against the pain as she fought against the urge to release the magic before it was complete. It was harder than she had thought, but she filled her thoughts with all the people that she had hurt in her life…of all those who had been caught up in this tragedy…for them she could bear any amount of pain.

As the magic tore through her she allowed herself to become lost in her memories once more, only now being able to see just what she had, had in her life and she felt her eyes becoming moist as she realised just how much of her Time she wasted. Still, her time could save even a single person caught up in the devastation that had been unleased, she would consider her life well spent.

Eventually the magic surrounding her disappeared and she gasped as she slumped forward, feeling the pain wracking her body, but she still forced herself to turn her head to peer up at the clock tower above her.

"Time…Time…Went back…One minute?!" Her eyes widened in horror as she stared at the clock in disbelief, tears filling her eyes and blurring her vision as the realisation settled over her. "…The value of my life…is just one minute…" Had she been naïve to imagine that an existence like hers could have been worth more than a single moment of time? The tears overflowed as she slowly began to crumple. "No….I couldn't save a single soul…" she whispered as she slumped to the ground, devastation ripping through her as she was forced to acknowledge her failure…unaware that that single precious moment had changed everything.

FTFT

Gajeel blinked in confusion as he felt something wash over him, before something clicked into place in his mind and he sprang to the side just in time to avoid an attack that he was certain had hit him only seconds before.

"ROAR OF THE IRON DRAGON\!" He bellowed fiercely and his emotions strengthened the attack forcing his opponent back a few feet, and he quickly took advantage by darting backwards himself to put more distance between them so that he could try and work out what was happening. Even now he could feel the effect of Natsu's mourning cry, even though he was certain that time itself had changed although he couldn't explain the certainty behind that thought. Did that mean that the shift hadn't been enough to reverse what had happened?

He could feel his Draconic side growing impatient with his whirling thoughts, still reacting on an instinctual level to the knowledge that a fellow Dragon was in pain and yet his human side wasn't as convinced. Glaring at the Dragon who was lumbering back towards him he reached a decision, and without a word he turned and ran off back in the direction of where he had last seen the Ice mage, ignoring the irritated howl in the back of his mind as his other half tried to lure him back to the battle.

Whatever had given him that glimpse of the future had been enough to save his life, and he had no way of knowing if the same had happened to the rest of his nakama. But if there was chance that it had saved the Ice mage he had to make sure, not only for his own peace of mind, but for Natsu's sake…before the other Dragon-Slayer did something irreversible in his grieving state.

FTFT

Gray blinked in surprise as the world around him seemed to shift for a split second, and suddenly his mind filled with a clear image of himself being struck by multiple attacks and even as what he saw registered both he and his companions sprang into action. His ice filled the air as Lyon darted to his side, and there was no hiding the relief in the older mage's eyes as they moved until they were back to back, their magic surrounding them and forcing their attackers back.

"What on earth was that?" Gray demanded breathlessly when they found a pause in the battle, unable to prevent a hand from drifting to the spot on his chest where the first blast had struck him and he nearly jumped out of his skin when a gentle hand brushed against his arm, turning to find Juvia stood beside him with tears of relief streaming down her face as she stared at him with wide eyes.

"Gray-sama," there was a world of guilt and pain in her voice, and he could see how her eyes flickered to every location that he knew marked a spot where the attacks had landed and it helped to reassure him that he wasn't going completely mad.

"I'm fine and it wasn't your fault," he said reassuringly and without leaving any room for debate, refusing to allow Juvia to wallow in misplaced guilt knowing full well that if it happened again then he would throw himself between her and an attack. It was the Fairy Tail way after all.

"But what happened?" Meredy asked as she finally came up alongside her, and her eyes were suspiciously bright as she glanced at him and he sent her a warm smile knowing that she had been concerned for her. "We all saw that right?" She asked uncertainly and they all nodded, and Gray frowned as he realised that meant they had all been affected by a spell of some sort.

"Could it be from the gate? It effects time doesn't it?" Lyon asked with a frown as he turned his gaze towards the castle and the Eclipse gate, they still next to nothing about the contraption after all…and he knew that despite the destruction and pain it had caused, he would be eternally grateful to it if it was the reason that Gray was still alive.

"Possibly but I don't think it works like that. What about Ultear?" Gray asked turning back to Meredy with a frown, and she gaped at him for a moment before pausing to actually consider what he was saying to her before finally shaking her head.

"Not even Ultear has that amount of power," Meredy replied sounding guilty for actually saying such a thing, but the older woman had always said that there was limits on what time could be manipulated and she had a feeling that this was one of those things.

FT

The ripple of time passed over Natsu and Future-Rogue as they battled furiously, and for a moment Natsu faltered as the void that was consuming him seemed to lessen and the human, more rational part of him froze. Something had shifted and it brought a spark of awareness and for a brief moment he roused himself, tentively trying to investigate especially when he imagined something brushing against the back of his mind.

_Wait, there's something…Gray?_

Before that thought could become something more his inner dragon re-established its control forcing the brief spark of humanity back down inside, and the brief flicker of hope that had tried to take hold vanished as another anguished cry was ripped from his throat. He couldn't let himself dare to hope only for it to be ripped away from him, he was barely hanging on as it was and he needed to hold it together until this battle was finished.

Snarling he sprang forward once more, slashing at the other Dragon-Slayer with a flaming fist and he revelled in the pained shout the other released as he was flung down against the hard surface of Motherglare's scales. There was no attack in the world that could hurt this man as much as he had hurt Natsu, but the Fire mage was determined that Future-Rogue would

FTFT

The sound of running feet drew their attention and both Gray and Lyon immediately sprang into ready positions wary after the previous events, only to pause as Gajeel shot into view an urgent expression on his face which gave way to relief and hope as his eyes landed on Gray and the Ice mage frowned at the odd expression he was getting from the Dragon-Slayer.

"You're alive!" The Iron Dragon-slayer shouted as he skidded to a halt beside them panting heavily from his efforts, and he was relieved to feel his inner dragon beginning to settle slightly as he realised the Ice mage was safe and the urge to avenge Natsu's pain began to seep away. At that moment though another pained cry rang through the air and he flinched at the sorrow it conveyed before frowning in confusion, why was Natsu still unaware that Gray was safe? The bond between them should have returned to its previous state, and yet that cry indicated that the Fire mage was still mourning his mate.

"Natsu?" Gray asked glancing skywards as the noise registered, and suddenly a faint memory of hearing a similar cry only moments before stirred and he felt something in his heart clench at the pain in his Mate's voice. "What's happening?" He demanded turning his attention back to Gajeel even as he reached out to brush against the mental link with Natsu, only to recoil when he found it cut off by an all-encompassing darkness that sent shivers of dread and fear through him.

"He thinks you're dead," Gajeel replied grimly knowing that they didn't have time for him to sugar-coat his words, although he winced slightly as he saw the remembered pain that flashed through onyx eyes. "For some reason whatever that shift in time was hasn't affected him and he still thinks you're gone." Gray's mouth went dry at that news, recalling all too well how Natsu had reacted when Acnologia* had nearly killed him and he was almost afraid to imagine how the Fire mage would react if he thought that he was really gone.

Desperately he reached out to their bond once more, shoving against the block with all his might only to be violently rebuffed to the point where he physically staggered back from the impact. Grimly he tried again, ignoring the pain that was stirring in the back of his head from his efforts and trying not to panic when he realised he was unable to get any reading whatsoever on the Dragon-slayer…it was worse than the time that Natsu had masked his presence back on Tenroujima and it sent an icy shard of fear through him.

"I can't reach him!" He cried out in anguish as he came back to himself, whirling to look at Gajeel in desperation, praying that the Dragon-slayer had some way of getting them out of this situation as he knew that Natsu was likely to do something incredibly foolish if he wasn't stopped.

"You need to get to Natsu right now!" Gajeel growled urgently as another pained cry rang through the air, his own draconic side still riled up from Natsu's first grieving cry and it was taking all his willpower not to punch the Ice Mage for the delay, even though he knew it would only make the situation worse and turn Natsu's wrath in his direction. "He won't believe anyone else, he needs you to be there physically. Hopefully he'll still believe his own senses." There was no way he was going to tell the Ice Mage that there was a chance that Natsu was already too far gone to even recognize his own Mate at this point.

"Gray go, we can handle things here," Lyon ordered, beyond confused at what was going on but seeing the fear in the younger Ice Mage's eyes, beside him Juvia nodded reluctantly in agreement as she too saw the pain in Gray's expression and realising that holding him back from Natsu would only hurt him further.

"Thanks," Gray muttered and without saying anything further he took off in the direction that the cry had come from, having to rely on the noise to guide him towards Natsu as he couldn't even get a direction from their link. He just prayed that he could get there in time before the Dragon-Slayer did something stupid.

FTFT

Natsu couldn't hold back the cry of pain that was forced past his lips as he was sent flying once more, frantically scrabbling at Motherglare's scales in the search for something to grip as he slid towards the edge. Finally at the last second he managed to dig his fingers into a crack, halting his fall and hanging limply for a moment as he tried desperately to catch his breath and work out a way to end this. His body was growing heavier and he knew that he only had little time left before he was left unable to fight…he had to avenge Gray before that.

Baring his teeth in a snarl he pulled himself back up onto the Dragon, clambering to his feet and swaying slightly as he raised his gaze to meet Future-Rogue's eyes as the other Dragon-slayer chuckled at his pitiful state. His hands clenched into fists at the noise, and with difficulty he managed to summon forth fresh flames to wrap around his hands, but he could tell they were weak and he knew that he had to end this.

Before he could attack once more the sky around them was suddenly filled with a blinding burst of golden light, and despite themselves both Dragon-Slayers found themselves turning towards it. For Natsu, however, the light came with a familiar warmth and at the back of his mind his human half stirred and cautiously emerged slightly from its hiding place…He knew that magic although he had never felt it in such vast amounts and he wondered what she could be trying to do and cautiously he peered over the edge of Motherglare.

As his sharp eyes easily spotted the pair of Celestial mages at the source of the magic, and an idea formed at the back of his mind as he realised what they were desperately trying to do, and for a brief moment he felt his Draconic side settling as it listened to his thoughts.

_The Gate! If he could just destroy the gate then Future-Rogue and everything he had brought through would be sent back._

A growl rumbled through him as his Draconic side surged back to the front, but this time they were unified in their goal and he bared his teeth in determination as he raised his eyes once more to the other Dragon-Slayer who narrowed his eyes at the sudden change in the other's expression.

"It's over," Natsu snarled before the other mage even got the chance to ask, and then he was charging forwards once more, determination and fury driving him forward even as Future-Rogue retaliated.

"Natsu," Atlas Flame shouted as he realised what the Dragon-Slayer was about to attempt, and opening his mouth he let out a stream of power as he lent his strength to the Fire mage, knowing that the boy had little strength left if this attack didn't work and determined to make sure that he got the chance to avenge his Mate.

Feeling the Dragon's magic wrapping itself around him, Natsu summoned every remaining scrap of power he had as he allowed the pain of his loss to fill his mind, there was no way he could falter now and he allowed those feelings to drive him onwards. Tears streamed freely down his cheeks as he collided with Future-Rogue, the flames swiftly engulfing the other mage before moving on to wrap themselves around Motherglare as well, causing the Dragon to let out a bellow of pain.

"It'll be over soon Gray," he murmured as he felt them all beginning to lose altitude, Atlas Flame throwing his weight against the other Dragon to help as the speed of their descent began to rapidly increase, whipping the flames around them into a frenzy.

FT

On the ground the mages were distracted by the sudden light that filled the air that filled the air above them, turning to stare in disbelief at the fireball descending towards them at great speeds and even from where they were they could feel the immense heat it was letting off.

"Get back! Everyone get away from the Portal!" Happy shouted in alarm as he realised just what it was that was tearing towards them, and instantly the group began to scatter in a desperate attempt to escape the incoming devastation realising that there would be a very small likelihood of surviving if they wound up caught up in the centre of it.

With devastating force the four of them slammed into the Eclipse gate, and Natsu was only vaguely aware of the structure crumbling beneath the force of the impact before he found himself being flung through the air as the gate exploded. As he fell earthwards he let his eyes slide shut as he released his hold on his magic, hoping that it was all over now as he lacked the strength to fight anymore.

FTFT

For several moments after the dust settled everyone had been frozen, staring in disbelief as they realised that the gate had finally been destroyed. But before they could give into the growing temptation to erupt into celebration their attention was drawn to the figure that was staggering away from the debris. The Fairy Tail mages letting out alarmed cries as they realised it was Natsu, immediately moving towards him as they watched him barely catching himself as his knees threatened to buckle beneath him.

"Stay back!" Wendy and Laxus cried at the same time, and everyone froze in surprise at the both their words and the pained edge to their voices but they automatically obeyed as they realised that the pair probably had a better handle on what was happening than they did.

As they watched Natsu finally lost his battle to remain vertical and he dropped heavily to his knees, his head hanging low and he gave no sign at all of being aware of his audience. And slowly they became aware of the low keening noise that was coming from him, and they all exchanged alarmed looks as they recalled the terrifying cries he had released during his battle…just what had happened?

"We can't just leave him like that," Lucy protested as she finally pulled her gaze away from her best friend, turning to look at Laxus and Wendy who were watching the scene with pained expressions, and she felt her mouth go dry as she saw the fear lurking in their eyes. "What is it?" She demanded, and the tone of her voice quickly drew everyone's attention back to them and the pair flinched under the expectant expressions.

"He's not himself at the moment, just like on Tenroujima," Wendy explained in a quiet voice but there was something else flickering in her eyes, and Lucy narrowed her eyes at the younger girl.

"No there's something else…what aren't you telling us?" She demanded and Laxus and Wendy exchanged nervous looks which did nothing to relieve the worry and fear she was feeling, however, before they could find it in themselves to answer another voice rang out.

"This is the one that mourns?" Zirconis asked in an oddly strangled voice, and the group turned back to him with alarm having forgotten him briefly in the aftermath of the gate's destruction and they were all startled by the pained expression that had settled over his face.

"Mourns?" Mira asked anxiously her gaze darting between the Dragon and Natsu, a sense of foreboding settling over her as the previously aggressive creature lowered his head and she was taken aback by the oddly human expression of sorrow in his eyes.

"He has lost his mate," the Dragon replied softly, unaware of the horror and sorrow that his words had set flowing through the gathered Fairy Tail mages. Now that the Dragon-slayer's control over him had faded he could feel the instinctive pull to help the mage crouched a short distance away, but he made no move to act as he caught subtle movement in the flames beyond the downed Dragon-slayer. Atlas Flame had already sided with the boy once and he knew that he would help him with this, and besides he could already feel himself beginning to fade away from this world.

"Gray?" Lucy whispered, tears already trickling down her cheeks as she turned to look at the two Dragon-slayers who merely nodded silently in response to the unspoken question, and this time she was unable to hold back the sob that broke free. Beside her Mira had dropped silently to her knees, her shoulders shaking as she tried desperately to rein in her tears as she tried to contemplate a world without the Ice mage.

FTFT

Gray had paused briefly when the huge fiery plume had lit up the night sky, and he could feel the ground beneath his feet trembling from the aftereffects of the explosion and his eyes widened as realisation settled over him.

"Natsu," he breathed and before he was even aware of it he was moving onwards once more, but now he had a set destination in mind and he found himself speeding up. _Wait for me Natsu_ he whispered in his mind, hoping against hope that it would find some way to make its way to Natsu through the sealed off bond.

FTFT

The watching mages were startled out of their grief-stricken state as they finally spotted the movement in the flames surrounding the gate, and they all tensed as Atlas Flame emerged although they quickly realised that he was beginning to fade around the edges. A quick glance at Zirconis showed that he was in a similar state, and they realised that both Dragons were beginning to fade away as the Eclipse magic began to disappear from their world. For a moment the Fire Dragon seemed to consider them and then seemingly dismissing them he turned his head towards Natsu, and they all swore that they could see grief cross his face before he carefully moved towards the unmoving Dragon-Slayer.

"Leave them be," Laxus said softly reaching out to lay a hand on Mira's shoulder as the Take-over mage made to move forwards, clearly worried by the proximity of the Fire Dragon to Natsu who made no sign of realising the danger that he might be in.

"But…"

"A Dragon cannot continue to live without his mate," Zirconis spoke up softly, and Mira and Lucy turned horrified eyes towards the Dragon and they could tell from his expression that he was deadly serious in what he was saying.

"No…Natsu," Lucy cried whirling back towards with her friend, fully intending to go to him and stop this madness…they had already lost Gray, they couldn't lose Natsu as well…but before she had gone more than a step or two a hand had wrapped itself around her arm trapping her in place. "Let me go!" She hissed frantically turning on whoever had grabbed her with a furious expression, only to freeze as she found herself staring into Wendy's tearful eyes.

"I don't want to lose him either," the youngest Dragon-slayer said in a wavering voice, her face twisting as she tried desperately to hold back her tears. "But you have to understand how much pain he must be in right now?"

"But that's no reason to throw away his life!" Lucy protested although there was less heat in her voice and she made no attempt to escape Wendy's hold.

"It is for a Dragon," Wendy whispered as she turned her gaze back towards Natsu, remembering the sorrow that had flooded her when his cries had rung out over the city and knowing that what she had felt had been a mere taste of what he was currently experiencing and something in her expression made Lucy sag in defeat.

Silently they watched as the Dragon approached Natsu, knowing what they might be about to witness but unable…or unwilling to let their nakama face this on his own.

FT

"Natsu," Atlas Flame rumbled as he crouched over the Dragon-slayer, ignoring the fact that his body was already beginning to fade around the edges as he focused on the child that had acknowledged him as family such a short time ago. "Natsu look at me," he ordered softly, unsure of whether or not the boy was already too far gone to hear his words, but after several long seconds Natsu glanced up at him. Dark amber eyes that were filled with such agony that the ancient dragon felt his own heart clench at the sight, it was a pain that he would never have wished on his worst enemy let alone on the child of his dear friend.

"I lost him," Natsu mumbled sounding completely lost himself, barely aware of the dragon towering over him even as he stared into the almost mesmerising flames that covered him. "I lost Gray…I lost him…"

"Natsu," Atlas Flame said softly, lowering his head to the ground so that he was level with the Dragon-slayer and slowly Natsu turned his head to look at the Dragon properly and something akin to understanding dawned in the burning amber eyes.

"Help me," Natsu whispered faintly and the Dragon closed his eyes for a moment even though he had anticipated the request, it hurt to know that the only thing that he could do to help the boy now was to offer him an escape from his pain.

"Very well," he agreed softly, and there was a faint relaxing in Natsu's tense posture at the words and the Dragon-Slayer bowed his head in relief at the Dragon's agreement.

_Soon…soon I will be with you Gray…Wait for me._

FTFT

Gray's chest was burning as he dashed towards where the Eclipse door had been, feeling every ache and pain from the tournament and battle as he forced himself to keep running even as he constantly flung himself at their mental bond with no success. The darkness sealing it off seemed to be growing deeper and colder, and some instinctual part of him realised that he was slowly losing Natsu, he just didn't know how it was happening and no matter what he tried he was unable to get through to the Dragon-Slayer.

Finally the gate came into sight and he could see the small group of people that were gathered a safe distance from the gate, and he could easily pick out his guild-mates amongst the group. He was about to yell out to them when his gaze moved past them to land on the scene they were all watching, and suddenly his heart was in his mouth as he realised exactly who the crouched figure on the ground was.

Pain…Fear…Longing…They all washed over him as he stumbled to a halt, drinking in the sight of the obviously alive Dragon-slayer as he realised just how much he had feared that he was already too late. However, his relief was short lived as he finally took notice of the Fire Dragon that was towering over his Mate, and for a wild moment he wondered why none of their nakama was trying to interfere…but then Gajeel's panic came back to him and his eyes widened in horror as he realised just what Natsu was planning on doing.

"NATSU!" He screamed as he bolted forward, terror lending him speed as he shot forwards, desperately renewing his attempts to break through their bond. However, the block refused to yield and the Dragon-Slayer had given no outward sign of hearing him, even though the watching group had turned as soon as they heard his voice. He paid no heed to their frantic shouts or emotional expressions as he tore past them, his entire world narrowing down to Natsu.

"NATSU!" He hollered again, although this time in sheer terror as he saw the Dragon raising a flaming paw over his crouched mate, instinctively realising what was about to happen and feeling his heart break as Natsu made no attempt to escape what would be fatal blow if it struck. "ICE MAKE: SHIELD!" He roared, knowing that an ice barrier would have little effect against those flames, but hoping that it would at least distract the Dragon long enough for him to reach Natsu's side and come up with something else to protect his Mate.

The sudden appearance of the barrier had startled him, and Atlas Flame reared back in surprise, his blow missing his intended target by a narrow margin and instead shattering the fragile shield into a million pieces. It was enough time to for Gray to close the distance between them and without hesitation he sprang between the pair, trying not to flinch as he felt the full force of the heat coming off the Fire Dragon.

"Don't hurt him!" Gray yelled desperately spreading his arms wide in a futile attempt at staving off the attack he was sure to come. To his surprise the Fire Dragon froze at his action, and he realised a moment later that the creature was sniffing the air with an expression of confusion on his face.

"You smell like him," Atlas Flame said in surprise as he lowered his head to peer at the mage that had stepped in between him and Natsu, impressed with the human's courage and intrigued by his scent…for a scent to be this mingled usually indicated that they were a mated pair, but Natsu was showing no sign of recognition towards the human mage stood between them and he narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Who are you?"

Gray blinked in surprise at the words and question before tilting his head to peer back at Natsu, the Dragon-Slayer had still made no effort to move from his position on the ground and the Ice Mage wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around his Mate but he knew that he had to deal with this first.

"He's my mate," Gray said boldly, trying to fill his voice and expression with everything that statement meant to him as he met the Dragon's gaze without hesitation.

Atlas Flame could feel the sincerity pouring off the mage in front of him, see the devotion and love shining in the dark eyes as he proclaimed his status. He had no idea why Natsu was unable to realise that his Mate was still with him…nor did he understand the lack of recognition that the Dragon-Slayer was showing, but he had no doubt that the Ice Mage was telling the truth and he felt relief wash over him as he realised that this Dragon-child would be able to live on after all. Satisfied he bowed his head, no longer battling against the magic trying to pull him back to his own time as he peered down at Natsu with soft eyes.

"I am glad son of Igneel," Atlas Flame murmured softly before fading away completely, and Gray felt some of the tension ease out of his body even though it was clear that Natsu still wasn't with him as the Dragon-slayer was staring at the space where the Dragon had been with a devastated expression seemingly unaware that Gray was standing right there in front of him.

Gray turned back to Natsu once the last traces of the Dragon had vanished, his expression falling as he took in how broken the Dragon-slayer looked and noting with concern not only the fact that Natsu had yet to lose his draconic characteristics but also the many injuries marring his body…it was a miracle the other teen was still conscious, although he had a feeling that he wouldn't be for much longer and he instinctively knew that he had to make Natsu realise he was still here before that happened…otherwise the other would have no motivation to come back to him.

"Natsu?" He called softly as he slowly closed the gap between them, dropping down so that he was at eye-level with his Mate, his heart breaking anew as he saw the devastation in the olive eyes that were refusing to focus on him. "Natsu please look at me," he begged, reaching out to cusp a pale cheek with a trembling hand in the hopes of gaining the Fire Mage's attention. "Natsu!"

FTFT

AN: The references to Natsu's reactions to Acnologia are referring to events that are still to come in Dragon Season.

Also rewatching Ultear's sacrifice…has reduced me to a sobbing mess yet again…I seriously love that woman!

As a final note Dragon Season should be updated tomorrow, I had hoped to have it done tonight, but this chapter has taken longer to complete than I thought it would.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you for the amazing reviews, follows and favourites.

Disclaimer: As always Fairy Tail and its amazing characters don't belong to me, I'm just borrowing them.

FTFT

Previously:

_Gray turned back to Natsu once the last traces of the Dragon had vanished, his expression falling as he took in how broken the Dragon-slayer looked and noting with concern not only the fact that Natsu had yet to lose his draconic characteristics but also the many injuries marring his body…it was a miracle the other teen was still conscious, although he had a feeling that he wouldn't be for much longer and he instinctively knew that he had to make Natsu realise he was still here before that happened…otherwise the other would have no motivation to come back to him._

"_Natsu?" He called softly as he slowly closed the gap between them, dropping down so that he was at eye-level with his Mate, his heart breaking anew as he saw the devastation in the olive eyes that were refusing to focus on him. "Natsu please look at me," he begged, reaching out to cusp a pale cheek with a trembling hand in the hopes of gaining the Fire Mage's attention. "Natsu!"_

FTFT

Now:

"Please come back to me…" Gray whispered when the Dragon-slayer gave no hint of responding even slightly to his voice, his eyes burning fiercely as he gently cradled Natsu's face between his hands, staring into the blank amber eyes in the hopes of spotting even the slightest spark of life. His mind was racing as he desperately tried to work out what he could say or do to draw the Dragon-slayer back to him.

He knew without a doubt that the usual way of knocking sense into Natsu – a good punch, was out of the question in this situation. In the last couple of moments all colour had drained out of the Dragon-slayer's face and it was clear that he wasn't going to be awake for much longer and Gray had no intention of speeding up the process. On top of that he knew from experience that when Natsu was this tightly fused with his Dragon that any physical touch that showed the slightest hint of violence would be treated as an enemy attack, and not only did he not want to be on the receiving end of the Dragon's fury, but he knew that Natsu would not be able to forgive himself if he hurt the Ice Mage.

With shaking fingers he gently brushed at the tears that were silently falling from Natsu's eyes, but as fast as he wiped them away they were replaced with fresh ones and it was taking all his strength not to add his own. He had never been able to stand the sight of Natsu's tears, not even when they younger and barely capable of having a civil conversations…half of the fights he had initiated with the Dragon-slayer had to be distract him when Natsu had been sad about Igneel. That desire had only grown since then, to the point where he would he do anything…anything at all if it would stop Natsu's tears.

"Natsu you need to calm down so we can go home," he said softly, trying to keep his voice calm and even as he watched closely for even the slightest flicker of awareness. "We're officially the strongest guild in Fiore now, there are going to be so many jobs flooding in and we can have our pick of them…maybe we can get a well-paid one and go away for a vacation? A holiday just for the two of us…" _How long had it been since just the two of them had done something? With everything that had happened since the S-class trials there had been no time, and now staring into the blank olive eyes all Gray could do was regret that fact._

FT

"Why isn't he reacting to Gray?" Lucy asked softly keeping her voice barely above a whisper, afraid to risk disturbing Gray's attempts to get through to the Dragon-Slayer as she turned worried eyes towards Wendy. The youngest Dragon-slayer was watching the pair with teary eyes, and her expression as she turned to look at Lucy made the Celestial Mage swallow hard and take a nervous step backwards. "Wha…?"

"The Salamander's retreated into himself," a gruff voice came from behind them and they whirled around to find that Gajeel and Levy had joined them, the latter pressed so closely to the Dragon-slayer's side that it would have been impossible to even slip a piece of paper between them, not that Gajeel looked as though he was going to complain.

"What do you mean?" Mira asked with a worried frown, glancing back at where Gray was still desperately talking to Natsu in a low voice before turning back to the other Dragon-slayer's. She could see the concern and fear in Gajeel's eyes as he also glanced at the pair, and that frightened her more than anything, the Iron Dragon-slayer only ever looked like that when things were at their worst.

"I'm guessing that when Gray fell, Natsu-san's human part retreated allowing the Dragon to take over," Wendy was the one to reply, her voice soft and barely above a whisper, a shiver working its way through her as she remembered the sensation of her own Dragon surging to the front in response to Natsu's grief. It had been a terrifying sensation, and she couldn't imagine how Natsu must be feeling if he truly was buried beneath the Dragon.

"Wait…so something did happen to Gray?" Lucy demanded, her eyes darting back to the Ice mage and raking him over to check that he wasn't hiding anything more serious than the injuries they could currently see.

"According to Lyon and the others he took an attack that was meant for Juvia," Levy explained quietly, tightly squeezing Gajeel's hand as though to reassure herself that he was really there before continuing. "It was a fatal attack…he took multiple blows including one through the head."

"Then how…" Lucy muttered and then her eyes widened in understanding as she recalled the strange vision that had made her change her path. "That shift in time? But why doesn't Natsu seem to be aware of the change?" Even if he had retreated into himself, the shift had given them a brief but unmistakable glimpse into the future…and yet it didn't seem that he had even questioned what was happening.

"I think he was buried too deep by that point," Gajeel replied, his voice more gentle than they had ever heard it and both Laxus and Wendy nodded in agreement at his words. It was the only way for Natsu to have avoided the same awareness that had seemingly washed over every other person in the battle (of course later they would find that the effect had been much more widespread than that), and they mourned for the fact that Natsu's own magic had caused him to suffer much more than he had needed to.

"But surely having Gray standing right there in front of him would tell him that something has changed?" Mira asked in confusion, she could understand Natsu being stopped from detecting the shift in time…after all if it wasn't for the fact that they had all experienced it she might have doubted it herself…but to have physical proof right in front of him and yet to show no sign of realising the truth was something she didn't understand.

"He's probably afraid that it's a trick," Gajeel said with a frown, knowing that if he was in the Salamander's place that he would be terrified to trust something that went against what his Dragon was saying. "Can you imagine how much it would hurt if he trusted what was in front of him only to discover it was an illusion or something…?"

"But…" Lucy began to protest…how on earth were they meant to bring Natsu back to himself if he wasn't even willing to give his own senses a chance.

"Trust in Gray, he's brought Natsu back to himself before, he can do it again," Gajeel stated firmly cutting across her protest, although the glance he exchanged with Wendy and Laxus was much more doubtful than his words…after all, last time Natsu had known that Gray wasn't dead…

FTFT

Natsu had wanted to howl with despair when the form of Atlas Flame had disappeared before his eyes, taking with him the easiest escape from the pain gnawing at his heart. He was vaguely aware that another, much smaller figure had appeared in front of him but he couldn't find it in himself to focus on them…a small part of his mind guessed that it was one of his guild-mates now that the battle was over, and he found himself retreating ever deeper, terrified of what they might try to say to him to stop what path he had to take.

"…_and go away for a vacation? A holiday just for the two of us…."_

He froze in his efforts to mentally escape when quiet words drifted through the haze filling his mind, and something stirred in the depths of his mind…_he knew that voice, knew it better that he knew his own…_ But how? How could that be possible? His inner dragon was howling, trying to draw him away from the teasing flame of hope but despite that he could feel it pulling on him, and despite his fears he let a little bit of awareness creep back…ready to retreat the second he detected that even something was even slightly out of place.

FT

Gray let out a low noise that was part way between a sob and a laugh of relief when something finally flickered in the depths of the olive eyes, it wasn't quite awareness or recognition, but there was a hint of life in them that had been missing before and he let a spark of hope take hold.

"Natsu?" He questioned quietly, and very slowly the Dragon-slayer blinked and as he watched with hopeful eyes Natsu's eyes began to focus on his face and he held his breath, terrified that the slightest wrong move on his part might send Natsu fleeing back inside himself.

"Gr…ay?" Natsu whispered disbelievingly as he gazed into painfully familiar dark eyes, noting the pain and fear whirling in them and instinctively wanting to chase those emotions away and let the glint of hope buried beneath them come to the forefront. Unconsciously he raised a trembling hand and Gray stilled at the gesture, forcing an encouraging smile as Natsu reached out warily towards him, hesitating for a moment before closing the last of the gap between them and brushing his too-warm fingers against the Ice Mage's cheek.

Startled to find chilled flesh beneath his touch Natsu snatched his hand back with a sharp cry, only to freeze as a cold hand grabbed hold of it and held on tightly preventing him from retreating completely. The Dragon-slayer let out a low whine of distress when he realised he couldn't escape, and his dazed eyes were darting wildly around trying to find an escape route and refusing to focus on the one holding him in place. Terrified that if he did it would reveal that it was all an illusion, and unable to bear the thought of losing Gray all over again if that was the case.

"Damn it Natsu!" Gray cried out, knowing that the longer it took to get through to Natsu the more chance there was of losing the Dragon-Slayer, it had been close on Tenroujima, but back then Natsu had wanted to come back…this time the Fire mage wasn't sure if there was something to come back to. "Look at me! Smell me! Hear me! Use those Dragon-Slayer senses you're so proud of!" He knew he was being harsh, but he would have time to be gentle once he'd got Natsu to actually realise he was still here with him.

"_Look at me! Smell me! Hear me! Use those Dragon-Slayer senses you're so proud of!"_ Natsu blinked as the barked order broke through his hazy mind, and despite his own doubts he found himself obeying as he heard the pain underlying the voice that had shouted it. He had already touched and seen the mage holding onto him, and it was the voice that had drawn him out and yet he knew that those aspects were the easiest to be copied…either by another mage or his own mind…but scent was harder to imitate.

Slowly he took a cautious sniff of the air, waiting for his nose to be assailed by a scent that would cause this illusion to come crashing down around him. Instead a second later his senses were assailed by the scent that was uniquely Gray…the smell of fresh snow and winter pine, underlain by his own deeper ashy scent that had become intimately interwoven with Gray's scent shortly after he had gone into season…it was the scent of home, and fresh tears prickled at his eyes as he realised that there was no one who could imitate this scent to this level.

"Gray?" Natsu blinked again as he finally managed to force his voice past suddenly frozen lips and slowly his gaze drifted up to meet the Ice Mage's, and Gray wanted to weep with relief when awareness began to seep back into the unnatural amber eyes, instead he forced himself to stay calm as the Dragon-Slayer's eyes focused on him properly. "Gray? But…but…Gray?" Confusion and pain swirled in his voice, but what Gray seized onto was the brief flicker of desperate hope that passed across Natsu's face as the Fire Mage stilled in his attempts to escape.

"Yeah I'm here Natsu, I'm here," Gray murmured as he blinked rapidly in an attempt to hold back the tears that were threatening to burst free at any moment, knowing that if he fell apart now there was still a chance he would lose the other teen.

"I lost you," Natsu whimpered out, sounding and looking incredibly child-like as he stared at Gray with huge, teary eyes. Despite that Gray felt hope bubbling up in his chest as he saw the amber in his mate's eyes slowly beginning to fade back to the usual olive colour, whilst the hand he was still clinging to was slowly losing its scaly covering. "I lost you…it was dark…you w..weren't there…I lost you," Natsu was rambling now, a lost expression on his face as his tears began to trickle

"Only for a minute," Gray murmured softly and slowly he stepped forward even as he pulled the confused Dragon-slayer towards himself, wrapping his arms tightly around the other as they met in the middle and wincing as the other stiffened in his embrace. Still he made no move to lessen his hold on the other teen, and every so slowly he felt Natsu beginning to relax into the hug.

FT

"He did it, he got through to him," Wendy breathed in relief as she watched the pair embrace, finally losing control of her tears although she made no move to brush them aside as they trickled down her cheeks. Glancing down she was startled to find that her hands were trembling violently, and she realised just how much she had feared that she was about to lose them both and this time she couldn't hold in her sniffle.

"Easy short-stuff," Gajeel said soothingly moving across to her side and resting a gentle hand on her head, Levy had followed and after offering her a comforting smile the Solid-script mage pulled the younger girl into a gentle hug. The offered comfort broke down the last of her resistance and Wendy began to quietly sob as she pressed deeper into the hug.

"Will Natsu be okay now?" Lucy asked softly, her own eyes brimming with tears as she watched Natsu and Gray who were showing no signs of breaking apart any time soon.

"It'll take a while," Gajeel replied grimly glancing across at her, deciding that she didn't need to know that they would be lucky if Natsu ever fully recovered from what had happened…the pain of losing a Mate wasn't something that could be easily forgotten…his eyes darted back to Levy at that thought, the events of the day making his normal protectiveness rise tenfold. Raising his eyes he briefly met Laxus who had a solemn expression on his face, and he guessed that the older Dragon-slayer had guessed at what he hadn't said.

"It's Natsu," Laxus said simply breaking the look and glancing across at the Celestial mage who looked slightly startled at the faith she could hear in his voice, before a wan smile appeared on her face and she nodded in agreement…Yes, it was Natsu…Natsu who could bounce back from everything and anything.

FT

Gray was unsurprised when Natsu slumped completely against him a short while later, quickly moving to support the other teen before carefully lifting him to his arms despite the movement pulling on his own injuries. The Dragon-slayer murmured uneasily for a second at the motion before shifting slightly so that he could press his head against Gray's chest, his ear pressed against where the Ice Mage's heart was beating steadily, drawing comfort and strength from the sound that he had thought that he would never hear again.

"Natsu? Are you okay?" Gray asked anxiously, wanting to make sure that it wasn't anything more serious than the Dragon-slayer's wounds finally catching up with him…they were serious enough, but given the way their luck had been going he had to make sure.

"Hmm…" Natsu mumbled blearily as he slowly opened his eyes to peer up at Gray, and it was clear that he was struggling both to stay awake and focus as he blinked heavily. "'M okay, j-just tired," he managed to reply eventually once it registered what the Ice mage had been asking, and he winced slightly at the slight catch in his voice knowing without a doubt that Gray would have caught it and sure enough the arms holding him tensed slightly.

"Sure," Gray replied after a moment and it was clear from his tone of voice that he didn't complete believe the Dragon-slayer, but Natsu was relieved when he didn't push the issue any further, although he realised that they would have to talk about it later. He knew that he was nowhere being all right, even the fact that Gray was here and holding him was doing little against the remembered pain and darkness in his mind…but there was no way he was ready to discuss it…all he wanted to do was be close to his Mate and to try and forget even briefly the horrible time when he had lost everything.

"Gray…"

"Shh I get it," Gray said gently cutting across his hesitant words, one hand shifting to gently encourage Natsu to return his head to its previous location over his heart and the Dragon-slayer was only too willing to obey the silent command. "Rest easy, I'll look after you."

Natsu wanted to protest the final promise, after all he was the one that should be looking after Gray, but he couldn't find the strength to argue. The steady beat of Gray's heart beneath his ear was like a siren song and he felt himself pressing even closer to it, feeling his eyes beginning to drift shut once more as the sound filled his world, sending him drifting off into a hazy, half-awake state and he didn't even react when he felt Gray beginning to walk.

FT

The watching group had stirred as soon as they saw Gray beginning to head in their direction, Natsu held protectively in his arms. It had alarmed them all when they had seen the Dragon-slayer collapse, only the seeming lack of panic in Gray's reaction and the fact that Natsu had managed to respond to whatever Gray had asked had stopped them rushing up to the pair. Now though Lucy made to move forward to meet them as they approached.

"Stay back," Gajeel cautioned reaching out to stop the Celestial mage with a surprisingly gentle hand, before glancing around warningly at the others. "Natsu won't react well to others being too close at the moment, you need to give him some space," he explained seeing the question in their eyes, and sighing slightly when he saw the hurt that accompanied the realisation as his words registered. He knew how hard it was for them to stand back when their nakama was in pain, but he wanted to do anything he could do to stop Natsu having to experience anymore pain and distress today.

"What about his injuries?" Laxus asked with a hint of concern in his voice as he studied the barely conscious Dragon-slayer cradled protectively against Gray's chest, even at this distance it was clear that Natsu was in dire need of medical attention. "He looks like he could use some of Wendy's help," he added glancing across at the young girl who was looking equally worried, having finally pulled away from Levy and Gajeel although her face still bore the evidence of her tears.

"I doubt he'll even let me close at the moment," she said softly in a sad tone, making no attempt to move closer as Gray drew level to them, even though her healer instincts were screaming at her to step forward and help Natsu.

"I'm taking Natsu back to the inn," Gray said softly as he paused to look at them and they were stuck by the pain, fear and anger in his expression, although his eyes were undeniably tender when he glanced down at Natsu who was stirring slightly as he detected the presence of other mages close to his Mate.

"We'll see you later, get him out of here," Gajeel replied as he spotted the movement, unsurprised when a weak growl escaped the injured Dragon-slayer a moment later and he immediately latched onto Levy and pulled her backwards even though he knew Natsu wasn't a threat at the moment.

The growl was enough to jolt Gray into movement, and without saying anything else he obeyed Gajeel's words, picking up his pace as another low growl rang out. As they watched him hurrying away they could see him ducking his head closer to Natsu's, and they guessed that he was trying to calm Natsu's draconic side, although when they looked questionly at the remaining Dragon-slayers they steadfastly looked away and refused to answer…the last thing that Natsu and Gray needed was others intruding on any aspect of their bond at the moment.

FTFT

The journey back to the inn had taken Gray much longer than he had expected, partly because of the destruction that had been wrought on the city during the battle, but also due to exhaustion that had begun to creep through him. His entire body was a throbbing mass of aches and pains, the earlier wounds from the finale of the Games providing a dull background pain to the sharper stabs of pain from his fresher injuries, and on top of that he still hadn't managed to shake off the echo of pain from the blasts that had stolen his life in that brief other future.

Despite that he didn't allow himself to falter, instead focusing on the still form that was curled up against his chest, drawing strength from the fact that Natsu needed him. Still it was with a deep sense of relief that he finally stumbled into the inn, absently noting that even it hadn't been spared by the battle as all the windows on the ground floor had been shattered beyond repair and he was cautious as he made his way over the glass, wincing as it crunched loudly beneath his feet.

He was relieved that no-one else had returned yet and that there was no sign of the inn-keeper or his staff as he didn't feel like talking to anyone at the moment, and he didn't imagine that Natsu would react well to anyone else being around them at the moment, even if they did mean well. Still he knew that they would be lucky if they managed to have much time just to themselves, he had seen the worry in their nakamas' eyes as he passed them and whilst he knew that the other Dragon-Slayers and Levy at least would try and keep everyone at bay, they would only be able to do it for so long before someone…probably Erza, would insist on seeking them out.

Reaching the upper levels of the inn he was happy to discover that the destruction hadn't reached up here, and he quickly headed down the corridor towards the room that he and Natsu shared. Fortunately the door opened easily beneath his touch, and for once he was grateful for the Dragon-slayer's inability to remember that he was meant to lock the door…living out in the middle of nowhere had given Natsu the bad habit of leaving everything unlocked unless something was bothering him and he wanted to be alone.

FT

With the utmost care he gently laid the unconscious Dragon-slayer onto their bed, pausing to briefly brush dirty locks out of Natsu's face before gently brushing his fingers against Natsu's cheek, just trying to convince himself that the Fire mage was really still with him. Finally he stepped back with a sigh and headed for their small bathroom to dig out their medical kit. Realistically he knew that Natsu at least could do with proper healing, but he knew that Natsu wouldn't want to be healed by anyone else at the moment although he had every intention of dragging the Fire Mage to either Wendy or Porlyusica tomorrow; for now though he would do what he could to patch the Dragon-slayer up.

Finally finding the medical kit he quietly returned to the main bedroom, disappointed to see that Natsu hadn't moved in the slightest, although he knew it was probably for the best as even a quick glance was enough to tell him that the Dragon-slayer's injuries were serious and he would be in a lot of pain if he was conscious whilst they were being treated. Laying the kit next to Natsu he reached out and carefully removed the purplish cloth that had been wrapped around the Dragon-slayer's waist, his eyes narrowing as he found further bandaging underneath and he quickly tossed the cloth aside.

He hissed in sympathy as he carefully removed the rough bandages that had been wrapped around the Dragon-slayer, his eyes darkening as he realised that the wounds they had been hiding could very easily have taken Natsu away from him. He had to take a deep, shuddering breath to steady himself before he could even begin to work on the deep cuts, his fingers shaking slightly as he tended them.

"Who did this to you?" He asked his voice barely more than a snarl as he worked slowly and methodically to remove all traces of dirt from the cuts and the area around them. Ideally they could both do with a proper bath, but he knew that it was more important for Natsu to rest for now, so his ministrations would have to do for now.

Once he was satisfied that they were as clean as they were going to be he carefully began to wind fresh bandages around them, stilling for a second when Natsu twitched, pain passing briefly across his face before he stilled once more and he was even more cautious as he finished. Satisfied that they would hold out until he could convince Natsu to see a proper healer, he turned his attention to the less serious injuries marring the other's body, his eyes narrowing as he realised that there was nearly no part of the Dragon-slayer that wasn't at least bruised.

A lesser mage would have been taken out of the battle by even half of these injuries, and yet Natsu had managed to keep fighting and to pull a victory out of the bag despite how bad their situation had been. He knew a large part of that determination had come from the demands placed on the Dragon-slayer by his draconic side, and as he set to work on the other injuries Gray felt the old irritation at the unfairness of the demands Natsu faced coming back with a vengeance. It was worse than usual because he realised just how close Natsu had come to dying because of those demands, and he was forced to halt for a moment as his temper bubbled up, unwilling to risk hurting the other teen even further.

FT

Half an hour later:

By the time he had completely finished with Natsu's injuries e was wilting from exhaustion and wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed next to Natsu, but he knew that he couldn't neglect his own wounds and he didn't fancy the telling off he would get from the others if he did. With a reluctant sigh he set to work undoing the bandages that he had been given at the end of the group battle, which were barely more than useless scraps of fabric by this point, wincing as they brushed against injuries both old and new. A quick glance towards the mirror when they were all off showed him that his entire body was a mass of cuts and colourful bruises, and he knew that it was going to be painful to move for a while.

Despite himself he couldn't stop his gaze lingering on the spots where he knew the attacks that he had taken in Juvia's place had struck, his fingers trembling slightly as he pressed against each place, needing the confirmation even after everything that had happened. Finally he shook his head at his own foolishness…what was the point of worrying about the injuries that didn't even exist? With slightly steadier hands he set to cleaning out his injuries, carefully holding in any noises of pain as he didn't want to disturb Natsu's rest or give him any more reason to worry.

Once he was satisfied that they were adequately clean he carefully rebound the more serious injuries, cursing slightly as he was forced to contort his sore body in order to get them properly in place, but refusing to even consider even seeking out someone else to help him. Natsu couldn't be left alone at the moment…he shuddered as he imagined just how the Fire mage might react if he came to only to find no sign of the Ice mage…Crocus probably wouldn't survive the outburst. Still he was incredibly relieved when he was finally finished, slumping for a moment as he rode out the pain that his efforts had caused.

Eventually the pain had settled down to a background hum, and wearily he forced himself back to his feet, scooping up the remnants of the medical kit and moving it across to the bedside table in case they needed it at a later. Then with heavy steps he moved across to the door and carefully locked it, reluctant to make it easy for anyone to burst in on them even if it was likely to be their nakama that would seek them out. He hadn't heard any sounds that would indicate that the others had come back yet, and he felt slightly guilty as he realised that it probably meant they were out there helping out with the clean-up. Still as he glanced back at Natsu he realised that nothing would make him regret his current position and actions, and he quickly turned and padded back towards the bed…Natsu was the only thing that mattered at the moment.

It was with profound relief that he slipped into the bed next to Natsu, his eyes instantly threatening to drift shut as soon as he head hit the pillow. With the last bit of energy he could summon he managed to shift himself across the bed, curling himself loosely around the Dragon-slayer, aware that they were both to injured to press much closer to each other than that and pulling the covers over them. A small noise escaped Natsu as he tilted his head towards Gray, instinctively seeking out his Mate as a brief flicker of distress flickered over his face and the Ice Mage immediately reached out for the hand lying closest to him.

"I love you," he whispered softly as he loosely intertwined their fingers watching as Natsu's expression soothed out almost immediately at the gentle touch, before finally allowing his eyes to close under the weight pressing down on them and before he was aware of it he had already drifted off to sleep.

FTFT

Several Hours later:

Gray was roused from his exhausted sleep by something moving violently next to him, and blearily he forced his eyes open with an irritated growl fully prepared to lambast whoever had decided to wake him up. However, as soon as his gaze settled on the cause of the disturbance his anger melted away into concern as he watched Natsu twisting uneasily in his sleep, his face shadowed with an echo of the pain and grief that had filled his expression earlier that day and all traces of sleep vanished from the Ice Mage's thoughts.

"Gray…Gray…" Natsu began to mutter, his head tossing violently from side to side and his expression was becoming more distressed by the second and Gray quickly moved across to him, realising that at some point they had moved apart during their sleep, realising that was likely part of the reason for the nightmare breaking through. Despite his earlier concern about their wounds, he realised that there was no way he was going to be able to calm the Dragon-slayer without holding him, so with the utmost care he wrapped his arms around Natsu.

"Natsu I'm here, we're all alright now," he said softly into the closest ear, feeling the tremors that were working their way through the warm body in his arms, and he squeezed gently in the hopes of getting Natsu to realise that he was there. When the Dragon-slayer continued to twist in his arms, his expression becoming more and more distressed as whatever nightmares were plaguing him dug their claws ever deeper. "Natsu! Natsu wake up! Wake up!" Gray ordered more loudly, gently shaking Natsu now in the hopes of drawing him back into the waking world.

"GRAY!" Natsu cried out in panic a couple of minutes later as his eyes shot open, and Gray winced at the pain and fear in the other's eyes as they rose to meet his gaze. With a barely muffled sob Natsu closed the slight gap between them, wrapping his arms so tightly around Gray that the Ice Mage winced as his wounds protested the contact, but there was no way he was going to voice a protest. Not when he could feel a suspicious dampness soaking into the bandages that were level with where Natsu's face was, and the bond between them was humming with such pain that he could feel his own eyes beginning to burn…_was this how Natsu had felt when he thought Gray was gone?_

"Shh I'm here, I'm here," he murmured soothingly into the closest ear and he pressed the Dragon-Slayer tighter against his chest, both hands roaming over the other's back, unsure of whether he was just trying to reassure Natsu or himself as well.

"You're safe?" Natsu asked almost desperately, and Gray realised that whilst he had managed to bring the Dragon-Slayer back to himself earlier he hadn't fully succeeded in driving the doubts and fears from the other teen's mind. He doubted very much that they would ever disappear fully now that Natsu had been forced to experience that pain, but he hoped that in time they would at least fade into the background, but for now all he could do was reassure the Dragon-slayer and hope that at least some of his words penetrated.

"I'm safe, you made sure of that," Gray said reassuringly, with everything that had happened he hadn't had the opportunity to talk to the others and find out exactly what had happened, but just seeing the sheer level of destruction around the Eclipse Gate was enough to tell him that Natsu had been involved. He knew without a doubt that it had been his Dragon-slayer that had saved the day…unfortunately, it didn't seem as though Natsu was as convinced of that fact as he was. "You saved all of us," he added softly, and Natsu made a quiet noise of denial before pressing his face against the Ice Mage's chest.

"That wasn't what I was trying to do," Natsu admitted in a quiet voice and Gray had to strain to hear the words that were being muffled by the Dragon-slayer's current position, but he made no attempt to move Natsu, knowing that the other teen needed the contact. "I just wanted them to pay…I wanted them to hurt…to hurt as much as I…" Natsu trailed off unable to continue, a violent shudder going through him and Gray tensed as he felt the bond between them clouding over and he knew that Natsu was losing himself to the memory of when he thought Gray was dead.

"You wanted them to hurt as much as you were hurting?" He asked softly, relieved when the advancing darkness halted at his words, noting that Natsu had tensed against his chest and he guessed that the Dragon-slayer was expecting to be scolded for his words. "Do you think that I would have been any different?" He asked calmly, and cautiously Natsu withdrew from his hiding place to peer up at him with confused eyes and the Ice Mage winced as he took in the red rims, and the wet trails marring the pale cheeks…_Damn it, I don't want to see your tears anymore,_ he thought to himself before reaching up to brush gently at the tear tracks, desperate to erase the other's pain.

"What do you mean?"

"If I had been in your shoes…if I believed that you were d..gone," Gray hesitated for a second, unable to even voice the idea of Natsu being dead and he felt warm arms tightening their hold on him and he drew strength from that. "Then I would have done exactly what you did," there was no hesitance in the last bit of his statement, only grim certainty and a solemn promise.

He knew without a doubt that if Natsu had fallen in this battle…or if he ever fell in a future battle then there would be nothing that could hold him back from completely destroying whoever had dared to hurt his Mate. He might lack the Draconic instincts that often drove Natsu's reactions to events involving their bond, but he was honest enough with himself to acknowledge that he had more than a hint of darkness in himself, and it was Natsu that kept him human…without that… he was startled out of his dark thoughts by a gentle hand coming to rest on his cheek and he blinked, surprised to find Natsu watching him with a tender expression before realising that he had inadvertently been letting his feelings seep openly though the bond.

"Thank you," Natsu murmured before burrowing back against the Ice Mage, and Gray could hear the unspoken meanings behind the simple words…_Thank you for surviving. For bringing me back…for being here and understanding what I did…Thank you._

"Baka, you don't have to thank me," he scolded gently with no heat in his voice, relieved as he felt the bond beginning to settle, indicating that at least nor now Natsu was letting his words in. There was a wealth of words that he could say, and he knew that sooner or later he would need to say them but for now he was content to just hold Natsu close and give the Dragon-slayer the opportunity to try and sort himself out.

FT

A soft noise broke the silence that had settled over him and Gray glanced down curiously, a soft smile curling his lips as he realised that Natsu had finally given into the pull of his exhaustion and injuries. Gently he reached down to card through the messy pink hair, the Dragon-slayer letting out a small noise of contentment as he pressed closer in response to the ministrations and his expression relaxed even further. The Ice Mage wasn't foolish enough to think that everything between them was resolved, and he knew without a doubt that they had much more serious discussions to come…the image of Natsu kneeling before the Fire Dragon calmly awaiting the blow that would no doubt have been fatal if it had hit filled his mind, and he hastily pushed it aside not wanting his own distress to seep through the bond and disturb Natsu.

"You're still here and so I am, that's all that matters for now," he whispered to the sleeping mage, forcing himself to focus entirely on that thought because for the time being that was all that mattered. Anything else could be dealt with when they were no longer reeling from the events that had nearly torn them apart.

Carefully he eased himself down until he was lying down face-to-face with the Dragon-slayer, shifting over so that they were closely pressed against one another, knowing that distance was more dangerous than their injuries at this point. Gently he tilted his head forward so that he could press a chaste kiss to Natsu's forehead, before curling around the Dragon-slayer so that his head was resting against Natsu's which was pressed against his chest.

"Natsu…" he breathed before his eyes slipped shut once more and he began to drift off, physically and emotionally exhausted, and using the warm presence in his arms to anchor himself as he followed the Dragon-slayer into sleep.

FTFT

A/N: For anyone waiting for updates on Dragon Season, or Dragon Season: Rejection I'm a little bit behind schedule as I ended up doing an extra shift at work but they should be up tomorrow.

I will try and have the next update up by next weekend, but I have a lot on this week and a friend coming to stay so I can't make any guarantees.


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you for the amazing reviews, follows and favourites.

Disclaimer: As always Fairy Tail and its amazing characters don't belong to me, I'm just borrowing them.

FTFT

The next morning:

The morning was nearly over by the time that Gray was finally able to rouse himself from his sleep once more, pushing himself upright with a weary groan, the entire night had been punctuated by nightmares from both of them and it felt as though he had barely had any sleep whatsoever. The mere thought of actually getting up was enough to make him want to cry, but he knew that the others would be worried about the pair of them and in truth he was worried about them as well. There hadn't been a chance to check that everyone was okay with everything that happened and the fact that his focus had been entirely on Natsu, and now he was feeling slightly guilty about that, although the guilt faded somewhat when he turned his head to look down at Natsu.

The Dragon-slayer was curled tightly into his side, his head resting against Gray's shoulder with his hands wrapped tightly around the Ice Mage's arm in a clear attempt to stop him moving anywhere. What little he could see of Natsu's face showed that the Fire mage was paler than normal and there was a slight frown darkening his face and he let out a low mutter as Gray shifted slightly, the hold he had on Gray's arm tightening at the same time. After how he had acted last night whenever they woke from nightmares it was clear that Natsu was going to be reluctant to let him go anywhere without him for the foreseeable future, and to be honest Gray completely shared that sentiment, shivering as he recalled just how close he had come to losing the other teen.

As though sensing his gaze Natsu began to stir with a faint mewl of protest as he struggled to force his eyes opening, blinking sleepily as he tilted his head in order to peer up at Gray. He started slightly as he found the Ice Mage gazing down at him intently, and he was unable to prevent the faint blush that rose in his cheeks as he ducked his head slightly under the intensity of the dark eyes watching him.

"Gray?" He asked uncertainly when Gray didn't say something, only to pout a moment later when the Ice mage let out a soft chuckle before reaching out to brush cool fingers against his pink cheeks. "Gray?" He repeated more insistently this time, flustered by the amusement he could see in his Mate's face and embarrassed by how easily the Ice mage could make him blush.

"How are you feeling?" Gray asked softly, his amusement fading slightly as he realised that Natsu had still made no move to release him even though normally he would have retreated slightly when he was this embarrassed. At once memory flooded the olive eyes and he quickly reached out to gasp one of Natsu's hands in his own when he saw the remembered pain flashing across the Dragon-slayer's face. "Shh easy it's okay, everything's alright now," he whispered soothingly, unsurprised when Natsu silently pressed closer to him and buried his face against his chest.

Nearly half an hour had passed before the Dragon-slayer finally pulled back to peer up at Gray, and the Ice Mage frowned slightly as noticed how red his eyes were now and the few stray tears that had escaped. With gentle fingers he reached up and brushed them away before pressing a soft kiss against Natsu's forehead and pulling away slightly. As much as he would love to stay up in this room with Natsu all day, and from the way the Dragon-slayer was still clinging to him, he knew that Natsu would prefer that as well…but there was the rest of their friends to consider, and they could both do with some food and proper healing.

"Are you up for going downstairs for a bit?" He asked softly and instantly Natsu tensed in his arms, and he felt a burst of doubt and fear coming through the bond and he narrowed his eyes in concern at the reaction. "Natsu…?"

"I don't want to," Natsu muttered sounding almost child-like as he turned his head to bury it against the Ice mage, and despite his concern, Gray found himself smiling tenderly at the action even as his heart gave a slight pang at the root of this childish need to cling. "Please…not yet…I'm not ready to face the others yet," Natsu added not removing his head from its hiding place, and Gray sighed softly, but his desire to push the issue was rapidly dying in the face of Natsu's reluctance…after everything that had happened he wasn't willing to cause the Dragon-Slayer further pain.

"Alright," he agreed finally in a soft voice, and Natsu lifted his head slightly to peep at him in surprise, having expected his Mate to continue to argue that they should at least go and reassure the others they were okay…not that he felt okay yet. "I'd rather just be here with you," Gray stated honestly in response to the question in the curious olive eyes, and for the first time a weak smile appeared on Natsu's face.

"Can we sleep a bit more?" Natsu asked tentively around a wide yawn, and Gray was quick to agree as the action proved to be contagious and he could feel the long night weighing down on him. He knew that they needed to see about eating at least at some point, but for now at least it seemed as though that was a minor concern and his appetite had been killed by the fear that he could still see lurking in Natsu's eyes.

FT

Quietly they snuggled back down on the bed, with Natsu making a small noise of discontent as they were forced to pull apart to move into a comfortable position and there was a brief of flash through the bond. Making soothing noises Gray was quick to rearrange them so that he could wrap his arms around Natsu, drawing the Dragon-slayer back towards him, and Natsu was quick to burrow back against his chest with a relieved mewl that made the Ice mage frown with concern. _What was it going to take to get Natsu back to his usual self?_ He wondered, the idea that there might be nothing that he could do to help weighing on him.

It didn't take long for Natsu to doze off once more, although the speed at which he fell asleep did raise fresh concerns over his injuries for the Ice Mage, but Gray realised that there was nothing he could do about that for now as it was clear that even in sleep the Dragon-slayer wasn't going to release his hold on him. He had thought that the thoughts and emotions whirling in his mind might keep him awake, but it didn't take long for his own exhaustion and the warmth coming off the Dragon-slayer to draw him towards sleep and his eyes began to slip shut he offered up a prayer that they might get a dreamless sleep.

FTFT

Later that afternoon:

"_NATSU!" He was screaming his Mate's name again and again and yet Natsu was giving no sign of listening to him, and fear raced through him as he watched the giant form of the Fire Dragon looming up over the Dragon-Slayer. "Natsu!" His voice was becoming choked with tears as he realised that there was no way that he was going to be able reach Natsu in time._

_In desperation he brought his hands together as he continued to run, desperate to do something…anything to give him that extra bit of time he needed to reach Natsu, but to his horror there was no spark of magic._

"_What...? Why?" He choked out gazing down at his hands, tears flowing freely down his cheeks when nothing he did produced even a slight chill to the air…his magic had never failed him before…so why? Why was it failing him now when he needed it the most? "Please…" he begged desperately as he returned his gaze to Natsu, and for a moment his heart seemed to stop beating as he watched the Dragon attack…the giant paw descending towards Natsu with nothing to stop it and his whole body went cold as he realised what was about to happen._

"_NO!" He was barely aware of the fact that he was screaming, his eyes wide with horror as he stared at the space where Natsu had been only moments before. His legs gave out beneath him and he sank to the ground, his whole existence being swallowed by the terrifying void that had opened up his heart…Natsu? Natsu couldn't be gone…he couldn't…he…_

FT

Gray jolted upright with a terrified cry still on his lips, his heart pounding frantically in his chest as his eyes darted around wildly searching for the scene that had only seconds before been in front of his eyes…it was only when the room began to come into focus that he realised what had happened…it had been a dream…a nightmare. However, even that knowledge did little to soothe him and he could feel warm tears trickling down his cheeks.

"Hmm…Gray?" The sleepy mumble made him start violently, and he twisted around to look at its source only to freeze as he found himself staring into hazy olive eyes…Natsu. Before he could even think about it he had thrown himself towards the Dragon-slayer, wrapping his arms tightly around the half-awake mage and pulling him into a crushing hold, unaware of the whimper of pain his actions dragged out of Natsu.

For his part Natsu was completely confused by what was going on, all he knew was that he was in a serious amount of pain and that his Mate was currently sobbing into his shoulder and clinging to him as though he might disappear at any moment.

"Gray?" He asked as he felt the surge of emotions coming through the their bond, the force of it clearing the sleep induced haze from his mind and he felt his own breath catch as memories of what happened flooded his mind. However, before he could lose himself in them the Ice mage's arms tightened even more and biting back a sharp cry at the fire that the gesture had sent coursing through him he refocused on Gray. "Shh I'm here," he murmured softly as he wiggled upright until he was able to wrap his own arms around his Mate.

"I…I was too late…" Gray whispered and the Dragon-slayer couldn't prevent the shiver that went through him at the others words…_too late…_he felt nauseous as he recalled how that thought had consumed him and he found himself unable to speak, instead he found himself copying Gray and tightening his hold as he buried his nose into dark hair as he tried to fill his senses with everything that was his Mate. "If I had been even a few seconds later…"

"…I was," Natsu voice was even fainter than Gray's but they were so close that there was no way that the Ice Mage could miss it and he went cold as he realised what his words had meant to the Dragon-slayer. He had nearly been too late, but Natsu had actually had to experience the pain and guilt of being too late…

"I'm sorry….I…"

"Why are you apologising?" Natsu asked pulling back to look at Gray with a confused expression…what did the Ice mage have to apologise for? It hadn't been his fault that he had been caught up in the battle….and that he had…had died. A full-body shudder went through him at that thought and a low whimper slipped free, and Gray's expression darkened at that noise.

"It's because of me that you're feeling like this," Gray said guiltily, he had acted purely on instinct back then to protect Juvia from the incoming attack never even pausing to think how it would affect Natsu…if he had known beforehand what his actions would cause he would have at least hesitated… but then if he had Juvia would be…

"No," Natsu denied instantly refusing to allow his Mate to blame himself for what had happened. "It's because of my draconic instincts…if I had been a normal mage none of this would have happened…"

"But…" Gray wasn't willing to accept such easy absolution, he had seen how Natsu had reacted on Tenroujima when he was nearly caught by Acnologia's attack and yet he had not even considered how much worse that reaction would be if he did die. "Natsu…"

"What?" Natsu asked nervously as he caught the hesitance in his Mate's voice, worry flooding him as he caught the swirling emotions coming through the bond and he tensed as Gray turned intense eyes towards him. "Gray?"

Gray continued to hesitate even though he could feel the worry that was coming of the Dragon-slayer, unsure of whether or not Natsu was ready to really talk about what happened…or if he, himself was ready for the answer for the question that was now dominating his thoughts. However, when Natsu continued to stare at him with nervous eyes he knew that if he backed out now then the Dragon-slayer would just worry himself sick about what hadn't been said.

"It's about…It's…" Gray stumbled over his words and then sighed and took a deep breath, carefully making sure that held Natsu's gaze as he spoke. "Would you really have let that Dragon kill you?" He blurted out and Natsu tensed, his eyes going wide as the question sent pain flashing across his face and Gray immediately regretted asking… "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"No…it's fine," Natsu replied slowly as he lowered his gaze, knowing that he would be unable to bear the expression his answer would put on the Ice Mage's face. "I would have…I was going to," he confessed quietly, not missing the shocked intake of breath or the tremor that went through his Mate as his response registered.

"Why?" There was no missing the pain and horror in Gray's voice, and Natsu winced as he felt Gray's fingers digging into him where the Ice Mage was clinging to him as though still terrified that he might disappear at any moment.

"I…I…" Natsu swallowed hard as for the first time he allowed his thoughts to drift fully back to the time when he had thought that Gray was gone, and this time he was the one to tremble as he recalled the void that had opened up inside him. His inner dragon stirred nervously at the memory, and he had to take a deep breath, grounding himself in the smell of fresh snow and mountain air that Gray always let off. "I couldn't live in a world where you were gone…the second I felt you vanish part of me disappeared too… I wasn't me…I wasn't complete."

"But to go that far," Gray protested weakly, hearing the pain in Natsu's voice as he described how he had felt when he thought that he was dead. "It's…"

"It was instinct," Natsu mumbled, remembering how he had managed to respond to Atlas Flame despite being lost in his grief, knowing instinctively what the Fire Dragon had been going to offer him. "As soon as I knew the ones responsible were gone there was no point anymore, and all I could focus on was finding my way back to you…and I couldn't do that on my own…"

Gray released the tight hold he'd had on Natsu and pulled back slightly, his heart pounding in his chest as he stared at Natsu, the Dragon-slayer's words swirling in his mind as he realised the full impact of what Natsu was saying.

"This will happen again won't it?" Gray asked in a small voice and he forced himself to meet Natsu's gaze as the olive eyes reluctantly rose to meet his gaze. "If…no…when I die, you'll follow me even if it isn't your time?" It wasn't really a question as he knew the answer even before Natsu gave a tiny nod in acknowledgement but he still felt the bottom of his stomach drop out. "If…If I hadn't accepted the bond? Would that have changed all this?"

"NO!" Natsu nearly shouted, desperate fear shooting through him at the Ice Mage's words and he frantically wrapped his arms around Gray as though terrified he was about to disappear in front of his eyes. "No…no…no…please don't say that…please," he couldn't even summon enough rational thought to answer his Mate's question, just the thought of Gray having rejected him back then…and the terrifying idea that he might be thinking of walking away now was enough to send him into a spiral of panic.

"It was just a question!" Gray shouted in alarm in an attempt to cut across the panicked words, cursing himself for speaking so carelessly…he should have known that there was no way that Natsu would be able to take that question calmly in his current condition, and probably even in his normal condition. "I'm not going anywhere! I promise, I promise," he cried as he wrapped his arms back around the Dragon-slayer and pulled him into a crushing hold, his eyes burning as he felt Natsu shaking in his arms and his earlier guilt tripled.

"D…Don't ever ask that," Natsu begged with a sniffled as he slumped against Gray, feeling the comfort and love that Gray was frantically pushing down the bond towards him, his terror slowly beginning to wane as he realised the Ice Mage wasn't going to abandon him there and then.

"I'm sorry," Gray murmured as he pressed his lips into the pink hair, content to hold the Dragon-slayer as he slowly calmed down as he tried to let calmly consider what Natsu had told him…but every time he tried to rationally accept what his Mate was willing to do for him a wild panic threatened to take him over.

He knew that battles like the one they had just endured were unusual, but their guild…and their team in particular had spectacularly bad luck when it came to finding themselves in especially dangerous situations, and he knew that more than once they had come close to death…could he go into those situations now knowing that Natsu would die with him? But, then if he hesitated because of this concern and one of their other nakama paid the price? But what else could they do…they were mages and Fairy Tail was their home and family and he knew that there was no way either of them could turn their back on their current life.

"Gray…" He glanced down at the quiet whisper and made a low questioning noise when he realised that Natsu wasn't looking at him. "I don't w-want it to change things…I want everything to go back to normal when we go home." He was stunned by the request, wondering if Natsu really thought that it would be that easy…but then he picked up on the strain and fear coming from the Dragon-slayer and he knew that Natsu was fully aware that it would not be easy.

"I…" He hesitated for a moment unsure if he could agree to this…could he put this knowledge aside and continue back with their old life. "I can't promise that," he admitted finally and he felt the hurt coming from Natsu and hurried to explain before the Dragon-slayer could work himself into a state once more. "I can't promise that right now, it's too fresh…but I know you're right, we can't let this change things…so I promise to try." Gray hoped that, that would be enough for now as there was no way he could promise anything more when his feelings were in such a disarray and he watched anxiously as Natsu seemed to consider his words.

"Okay," Natsu muttered softly after several minutes had passed and Gray slumped slightly in relief, he could tell that the Dragon-slayer wasn't entirely happy, but at least he was willing to wait and for now that was enough.

FT

Silence had fallen over them after that, but whilst it had been a strange one it hadn't been uncomfortable…rather it was an opportunity for them to gather their own thoughts whilst relaxing in the other's presence. Despite everything though Gray was becoming increasingly aware of the growing hunger in his stomach and his thoughts turned towards how he could convince Natsu that they needed to leave their room, before he could say anything though Natsu tensed before turning his head towards the door and a moment later Gray could hear movement just beyond the door.

"It's Wendy," Natsu whispered after sniffing the air, and Gray frowned slightly as he caught the edge of distrust in his Mate's voice…surely Natsu wasn't worried about Wendy being near them? Of all their guild-mates she and Gajeel were the ones that understood their situation the best.

"Natsu-san, Gray-san I've brought you some food and medicine," the youngest Dragon-slayer's voice came through the door and they could hear the concern in her voice, and releasing his hold on Natsu the Ice mage slipped out of the bed intent on going to open the door to at least reassure her. However, before he had taken a step away from the bed Natsu had reached out to grasp his arm, a low warning growl escaping as he fixed his eyes warily on the door.

"Natsu?" He asked worriedly, reaching up to squeeze the hand holding him in place in what he hoped was a reassuring manner but the Dragon-slayer showed no sign of releasing him and he sighed unsure of what to do.

"It's okay I'm going," Wendy called through the door and Gray realised she had heard what was happening with her sharp ears, and although there was a hint of hurt in her voice the dominant emotion was understanding and he was relieved that she was the one that had come. They heard more motion and Gray could feel Natsu beginning to relax and a moment later he was released, and he guessed that she had moved far enough away for his overprotective Mate to relax.

Quietly he moved to the door and opened it, wincing slightly as he bent down to retrieve the tray that she had left for them, his mouth watering as he caught the tempting smell of stew from the covered bowls. Feeling a spike of emotion through the bond he turned to find Natsu watching him with an anxious expression, and shooting the Dragon-slayer a reassuring look he stepped back into the room, carefully kicking the door shut behind him.

"There it's just us okay?" He asked softly and Natsu nodded silently although he could see the relief in the olive eyes that never left him as he carefully set the tray onto the side table, tossing the medicine and bandages she had brought to one side for now as eating seemed far more important for the time being. With deft fingers he uncovered the bowls of stew before picking one up and carrying it across to Natsu. "Here," he said as he held it out to the Dragon-slayer and with a hint of reluctance Natsu accepted it, and Gray hastily moved to retrieve his own bowl before coming back to sit on the edge of the bed, guessing that Natsu would protest any more distance between them.

The Ice mage fell on the food with a hum of content, realising just how hungry he was as his stomach rumbled loudly lending speed to his efforts. It didn't take long for him to realise that Natsu had yet to start eating and he paused to shoot the Dragon-slayer a concerned look, certain that the other teen must be just as hungry as he was especially given his Mate's usual appetite.

"You need to eat up," he ordered softly and Natsu jolted slightly before raising his eyes from the bowl in his lap to look at Gray.

"I'm not hungry," he muttered only to be contradicted by his stomach rumbling loudly a moment later and Gray arched an eyebrow at him, causing the fire mage to flush slightly and duck his head at being caught in the lie. "I…"

"Eat," Gray said firmly as he bit back a sigh. "Please," he added, allowing a hint of pleading to enter his voice and Natsu glanced back at him before his shoulders slumped in defeat. With obvious reluctance he began to eat, and once he was satisfied that the Dragon-slayer was obeying the Ice mage turned back to his own food….silently pondering just how many other hurdles were ahead of them.

FTFT

"How are they?" Lucy asked as soon as Wendy reappeared at the bottom of the stairs, the Dragon-slayer carefully stepping around some rubble that had yet to be cleared out before turning her attention to the Celestial mage with a small frown.

"I didn't get chance to talk to them, Natsu was growling at me for just being outside the door and I didn't want to upset him further," she admitted and there were startled gasps from the gathered Fairy Tail mages, none of whom could ever recall the Fire mage ever growling or even showing irritation at the younger Dragon-slayer, that was the whole reason they had agreed to her being the one to go up to them.

"Natsu growled at you?" Erza demanded with a hint of anger in her voice, although it was overridden by the worried expression on her face as her eyes drifted upwards. It had taken a lot of convincing by the two Dragon-slayers to stop her going up the night before, and she knew that there was no way she would be fully at ease until she had seen the pair with her own eyes.

"We did warn you that he won't want others around for a while," Gajeel butted in with a stern voice and everyone turned to look at him, they hadn't wanted to believe it when he had said the same thing earlier but now they were ready to listen. "At the moment his dragon will be seeing everyone and everything as a potential threat to his Mate, and that includes us."

"But…" Lucy began to protest but her words died as he shot a glare at her, and she realised that she really didn't know enough about Dragon-slayers and their Mates to comment…but she hated the idea that Natsu could ever see them as a threat.

"I don't think Gray will be much different," Lyon spoke up softly from where he was sat at the bar nursing a drink, having refused to go back until he knew for sure that Gray was fine even though his guild were at another inn. "I've never seen him look as afraid as he did when he realised Natsu was in danger," he added with a frown as he recalled the expression that Gray had worn when shouting that he couldn't reach Natsu. At the time he hadn't really understood what Gray meant, but since the other Dragon-slayers had explained it to him he had felt nothing but concern for the younger mage.

"They're exceptionally close," Gajeel said softly and there was a hint of jealously in his voice, and his gaze was serious as he turned his eyes to the Solid Script mage who was pressed tightly into his side with her arms wrapped around him. "Probably even closer than Levy and me."

"So what do we do?" Erza asked with a scowl, already guessing at what the answer was going to be and hating the idea of doing nothing.

"We wait and let them come down when they're ready," Gajeel said softly as his eyes darted towards the stairs, before letting his gaze pass over the assembled mages to make sure that they were listening to him. "And when they do, you can't crowd them…it's going to take time for Natsu to let people close again, and I can't blame him." The last bit was barely a whisper, and his gaze was intense as he turned his eyes back down to Levy…he couldn't imagine going through the pain of thinking that she had been taken from him, and just the thought of it had made him cling to her since they'd reunited during the battle, never straying more than a few feet from her side. Levy had been more than willing to accommodate the need to cling, and he got the sense that she needed the reassurance from his closeness just as much as he did.

"So we wait," Erza said with a sigh, slumping back into her seat with a defeated sigh as she forced herself to relax.

FTFT


End file.
